I have a neurological condition this one that affects about 4% of the general
that affects about 4% of the general
that affects about 4% of the general population
population
population it’s a condition where two or more
it’s a condition where two or more
it’s a condition where two or more senses of the brain are crossed the
senses of the brain are crossed the
senses of the brain are crossed the stimulation of one sensory pathway
stimulation of one sensory pathway
stimulation of one sensory pathway involuntarily leads the stimulation of
involuntarily leads the stimulation of
involuntarily leads the stimulation of another which can create some unique
another which can create some unique
another which can create some unique perceptions of the world so the affected
perceptions of the world so the affected
perceptions of the world so the affected person
person
person it’s called synesthesia meaning a
it’s called synesthesia meaning a
it’s called synesthesia meaning a blending of the senses people who have
blending of the senses people who have
blending of the senses people who have synesthesia are known as synesthetes
synesthesia are known as synesthetes
synesthesia are known as synesthetes force in US v the sound of a passing car
force in US v the sound of a passing car
force in US v the sound of a passing car can create the taste of cherries and the
can create the taste of cherries and the
can create the taste of cherries and the touch of a cotton blanket can create a
touch of a cotton blanket can create a
touch of a cotton blanket can create a sound like falling rings well there are
sound like falling rings well there are
sound like falling rings well there are many different types of synesthesia my
many different types of synesthesia my
many different types of synesthesia my particular synesthesia
particular synesthesia
particular synesthesia is a connection of sound and color often
is a connection of sound and color often
is a connection of sound and color often referred to as chroma stiva colors
referred to as chroma stiva colors
referred to as chroma stiva colors caused me to hear sound and sound causes
caused me to hear sound and sound causes
caused me to hear sound and sound causes me to see color for example and talking
me to see color for example and talking
me to see color for example and talking to you right now can see a cloud of
to you right now can see a cloud of
to you right now can see a cloud of violet purple appear right about here my
violet purple appear right about here my
violet purple appear right about here my field of vision because the sound of my
field of vision because the sound of my
field of vision because the sound of my voice causes me to see purple that
voice causes me to see purple that
voice causes me to see purple that purple cloud is present every time I use
purple cloud is present every time I use
purple cloud is present every time I use my speaking voice every one of your
my speaking voice every one of your
my speaking voice every one of your voices has a unique color as well
voices has a unique color as well
voices has a unique color as well there’s Elizabeth breath the emcee of
there’s Elizabeth breath the emcee of
there’s Elizabeth breath the emcee of this event has a voice that is turquoise
this event has a voice that is turquoise
this event has a voice that is turquoise blue objects that make noise also
blue objects that make noise also
blue objects that make noise also produce the color if I snap my fingers
produce the color if I snap my fingers
produce the color if I snap my fingers there’s a cloud of fuchsia that appears
there’s a cloud of fuchsia that appears
there’s a cloud of fuchsia that appears and disappears almost as quickly as it
and disappears almost as quickly as it
and disappears almost as quickly as it came while similar pitches share the
came while similar pitches share the
came while similar pitches share the same color the timbre of the sound can
same color the timbre of the sound can
same color the timbre of the sound can slightly alter the shade and attend
slightly alter the shade and attend
slightly alter the shade and attend city of the color cloud that I see if
city of the color cloud that I see if
city of the color cloud that I see if you think that this might become
you think that this might become
you think that this might become distracting or overwhelming at times you
distracting or overwhelming at times you
distracting or overwhelming at times you would be right and it might be one of
would be right and it might be one of
would be right and it might be one of the reasons why I love music so much
the reasons why I love music so much
the reasons why I love music so much when I listen to music I can hear the
when I listen to music I can hear the
when I listen to music I can hear the different melodies and the different
different melodies and the different
different melodies and the different musical elements as most people can but
musical elements as most people can but
musical elements as most people can but I can also physically see the music
I can also physically see the music
I can also physically see the music dance through the air
dance through the air
dance through the air most music produces beautifully
most music produces beautifully
most music produces beautifully synchronized light shows for me I didn’t
synchronized light shows for me I didn’t
synchronized light shows for me I didn’t realize that this wasn’t the normal
realize that this wasn’t the normal
realize that this wasn’t the normal perception till it started last year
perception till it started last year
perception till it started last year planning my freshman year singing test
planning my freshman year singing test
planning my freshman year singing test for choir I had just finished singing
for choir I had just finished singing
for choir I had just finished singing and my teacher asked me what color I
and my teacher asked me what color I
and my teacher asked me what color I thought my voice was without missing a
thought my voice was without missing a
thought my voice was without missing a beat I answered purple I her confused
beat I answered purple I her confused
beat I answered purple I her confused look told me that is not the answer she
look told me that is not the answer she
look told me that is not the answer she was expecting she had been talking about
was expecting she had been talking about
was expecting she had been talking about tone color and was expecting an answer
tone color and was expecting an answer
tone color and was expecting an answer like bright bitch I have been talking
like bright bitch I have been talking
like bright bitch I have been talking about actual color needless to say it
about actual color needless to say it
about actual color needless to say it was a new discovery to find out my
was a new discovery to find out my
was a new discovery to find out my perceptions were not shared by the rest
perceptions were not shared by the rest
perceptions were not shared by the rest of the population I had just assumed
of the population I had just assumed
of the population I had just assumed that everyone saw the world in this
that everyone saw the world in this
that everyone saw the world in this colorful way that I did I remember going
colorful way that I did I remember going
colorful way that I did I remember going through a period of time where I felt
through a period of time where I felt
through a period of time where I felt like a weirdo and a freak of nature I
like a weirdo and a freak of nature I
like a weirdo and a freak of nature I now know that my fears were unfounded
now know that my fears were unfounded
now know that my fears were unfounded but at the time whose especially
but at the time whose especially
but at the time whose especially insecure about it as a musician it made
insecure about it as a musician it made
insecure about it as a musician it made sense for me to turn to music to get rid
sense for me to turn to music to get rid
sense for me to turn to music to get rid of all that insecurity I started
of all that insecurity I started
of all that insecurity I started creating electronic music to help me
creating electronic music to help me
creating electronic music to help me explore and come to terms with the
explore and come to terms with the
explore and come to terms with the synesthesia and what it meant for my
synesthesia and what it meant for my
synesthesia and what it meant for my life I started creating music that
life I started creating music that
life I started creating music that produced colors I liked and being able
produced colors I liked and being able
produced colors I liked and being able to produce something the exact colorful
to produce something the exact colorful
to produce something the exact colorful effect that I wanted was definitely
effect that I wanted was definitely
effect that I wanted was definitely therapeutic it wasn’t long before I had
therapeutic it wasn’t long before I had
therapeutic it wasn’t long before I had enough songs to release a short album
enough songs to release a short album
enough songs to release a short album which I’ve titled synesthesia every song
which I’ve titled synesthesia every song
which I’ve titled synesthesia every song had a distinct
had a distinct
had a distinct new color of course no one else would
new color of course no one else would
new color of course no one else would actually be able to see what I was
actually be able to see what I was
actually be able to see what I was seeing when they listen to any of the
seeing when they listen to any of the
seeing when they listen to any of the pieces but it was important to me to
pieces but it was important to me to
pieces but it was important to me to present my full reality with synesthesia
present my full reality with synesthesia
present my full reality with synesthesia woven tightly throughout in a tangible
woven tightly throughout in a tangible
woven tightly throughout in a tangible public before one of my favorite songs
public before one of my favorite songs
public before one of my favorite songs of that album was called sleep to dream
of that album was called sleep to dream
of that album was called sleep to dream it came about as I was discovering more
it came about as I was discovering more
it came about as I was discovering more about how colors interacted with each
about how colors interacted with each
about how colors interacted with each other for me I was lying awake one night
other for me I was lying awake one night
other for me I was lying awake one night as I often do it couldn’t fall asleep
as I often do it couldn’t fall asleep
as I often do it couldn’t fall asleep and there’s an analog clock that hangs
and there’s an analog clock that hangs
and there’s an analog clock that hangs on my wall I’ve had to take it out of my
on my wall I’ve had to take it out of my
on my wall I’ve had to take it out of my room on several occasions because it
room on several occasions because it
room on several occasions because it just goes tick tick tick and I just see
just goes tick tick tick and I just see
just goes tick tick tick and I just see red red red and turn makes it almost
red red red and turn makes it almost
red red red and turn makes it almost impossible to fall asleep so it’s lying
impossible to fall asleep so it’s lying
impossible to fall asleep so it’s lying awake listening to this chick red and I
awake listening to this chick red and I
awake listening to this chick red and I thought oh only I can make this red red
thought oh only I can make this red red
thought oh only I can make this red red red go away if you remember from
red go away if you remember from
red go away if you remember from elementary school the complementary
elementary school the complementary
elementary school the complementary color to red is green so I brought this
color to red is green so I brought this
color to red is green so I brought this song sleep to drink with the intention
song sleep to drink with the intention
song sleep to drink with the intention of creating a dark green color that
of creating a dark green color that
of creating a dark green color that would cancel out the red of the clock in
would cancel out the red of the clock in
would cancel out the red of the clock in a sense it’s a lullaby to help myself
a sense it’s a lullaby to help myself
a sense it’s a lullaby to help myself get to sleep and that’s the vocals come
get to sleep and that’s the vocals come
get to sleep and that’s the vocals come in it’s my color purple so the song ends
in it’s my color purple so the song ends
in it’s my color purple so the song ends of this very floaty purple color I think
of this very floaty purple color I think
of this very floaty purple color I think complements the dark green beautifully I
complements the dark green beautifully I
complements the dark green beautifully I have a video here of sleep to dream that
have a video here of sleep to dream that
have a video here of sleep to dream that will hopefully give you a sense of what
will hopefully give you a sense of what
will hopefully give you a sense of what I see when I listen to this song you
I see when I listen to this song you
I see when I listen to this song you will need to imagine that the screen is
will need to imagine that the screen is
will need to imagine that the screen is much larger and takes up your whole
much larger and takes up your whole
much larger and takes up your whole field of vision and that the black you
field of vision and that the black you
field of vision and that the black you see in the background it’s the world
see in the background it’s the world
see in the background it’s the world around you
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] I have learned to embrace my synesthesia
I have learned to embrace my synesthesia
I have learned to embrace my synesthesia now I’m more willing to talk about it
now I’m more willing to talk about it
now I’m more willing to talk about it with others as I learned more about
with others as I learned more about
with others as I learned more about myself I realized I could use
myself I realized I could use
myself I realized I could use synesthesia I understand more about
synesthesia I understand more about
synesthesia I understand more about those around me and people that I know
those around me and people that I know
those around me and people that I know well I have noticed that the color of
well I have noticed that the color of
well I have noticed that the color of their voice can change just slightly
their voice can change just slightly
their voice can change just slightly based on how they are feeling the person
based on how they are feeling the person
based on how they are feeling the person is getting sick feeling overly stressed
is getting sick feeling overly stressed
is getting sick feeling overly stressed or just not feeling like themselves I
or just not feeling like themselves I
or just not feeling like themselves I can often perceive this based on a
can often perceive this based on a
can often perceive this based on a change in their voice color when my dad
change in their voice color when my dad
change in their voice color when my dad is just about to get a cold it’s
is just about to get a cold it’s
is just about to get a cold it’s normally bright shade of robin’s egg
normally bright shade of robin’s egg
normally bright shade of robin’s egg blue changes to a much darker shade of
blue changes to a much darker shade of
blue changes to a much darker shade of blue and one time at work I could sense
blue and one time at work I could sense
blue and one time at work I could sense that my coworker was on the verge of a
that my coworker was on the verge of a
that my coworker was on the verge of a panic attack and I encouraged her to
panic attack and I encouraged her to
panic attack and I encouraged her to take a break to head it off this isn’t
take a break to head it off this isn’t
take a break to head it off this isn’t some sort of magical ability or anything
some sort of magical ability or anything
some sort of magical ability or anything I’ve simply learned but the more I
I’ve simply learned but the more I
I’ve simply learned but the more I listen to a person the more I’m able to
listen to a person the more I’m able to
listen to a person the more I’m able to understand about them think about that
understand about them think about that
understand about them think about that for a minute the more I listen to a
for a minute the more I listen to a
for a minute the more I listen to a person more I’m able to understand about
person more I’m able to understand about
person more I’m able to understand about them for the past few minutes you have
them for the past few minutes you have
them for the past few minutes you have been listening to my voice you have
been listening to my voice you have
been listening to my voice you have listened to me describe a condition you
listened to me describe a condition you
listened to me describe a condition you may and may not have heard before I
may and may not have heard before I
may and may not have heard before I acknowledge that I cannot prove to you
acknowledge that I cannot prove to you
acknowledge that I cannot prove to you that synesthesia even exists or even
that synesthesia even exists or even
that synesthesia even exists or even that I do indeed have it and yet I am
that I do indeed have it and yet I am
that I do indeed have it and yet I am betting you believe I’m telling you the
betting you believe I’m telling you the
betting you believe I’m telling you the truth about how I perceived the world
truth about how I perceived the world
truth about how I perceived the world you came today with an open mind ready
you came today with an open mind ready
you came today with an open mind ready to experience something new and you
to experience something new and you
to experience something new and you allowed me to speak and I shared my
allowed me to speak and I shared my
allowed me to speak and I shared my thoughts and experiences our society
thoughts and experiences our society
thoughts and experiences our society seems to be one in which we think we are
seems to be one in which we think we are
seems to be one in which we think we are all experts
all experts
all experts the tendency is to quickly insist that
the tendency is to quickly insist that
the tendency is to quickly insist that our ideas opinions and perspectives are
our ideas opinions and perspectives are
our ideas opinions and perspectives are the only ones that are valid the
the only ones that are valid the
the only ones that are valid the comments section of YouTube video
comments section of YouTube video
comments section of YouTube video reveals that it only takes about 30
reveals that it only takes about 30
reveals that it only takes about 30 seconds for an individual to completely
seconds for an individual to completely
seconds for an individual to completely understand which is going on in a video
understand which is going on in a video
understand which is going on in a video and they can make authoritative and
and they can make authoritative and
and they can make authoritative and sweeping judgments about a videos
sweeping judgments about a videos
sweeping judgments about a videos content many of which appear to be false
content many of which appear to be false
content many of which appear to be false after a few minutes of research in short
after a few minutes of research in short
after a few minutes of research in short anything that does not line up with our
anything that does not line up with our
anything that does not line up with our personal experiences or our vantage
personal experiences or our vantage
personal experiences or our vantage point often dismissed as untrue or
point often dismissed as untrue or
point often dismissed as untrue or fabricated but you did not do that today
fabricated but you did not do that today
fabricated but you did not do that today you came with an open mind and allowed
you came with an open mind and allowed
you came with an open mind and allowed me to speak in order to experience the
me to speak in order to experience the
me to speak in order to experience the full diversity colour of our society we
full diversity colour of our society we
full diversity colour of our society we must give people the chance to speak and
must give people the chance to speak and
must give people the chance to speak and to speak often we must learn to listen
to speak often we must learn to listen
to speak often we must learn to listen with an open mind and give consistent
with an open mind and give consistent
with an open mind and give consistent voice to those around us
voice to those around us
voice to those around us synesthesia has taught me that the world
synesthesia has taught me that the world
synesthesia has taught me that the world is bigger than any one person’s
is bigger than any one person’s
is bigger than any one person’s experiences conflicting perceptions do
experiences conflicting perceptions do
experiences conflicting perceptions do not have to lead to battles which strike
not have to lead to battles which strike
not have to lead to battles which strike down one view and declare another
down one view and declare another
down one view and declare another victorious has seen in so many posts on
victorious has seen in so many posts on
victorious has seen in so many posts on social media how much less conflict
social media how much less conflict
social media how much less conflict would there be and how much different
would there be and how much different
would there be and how much different what our news Facebook we began if their
what our news Facebook we began if their
what our news Facebook we began if their minds open to the idea than another’s
minds open to the idea than another’s
minds open to the idea than another’s viewpoint while different is equally
viewpoint while different is equally
viewpoint while different is equally true and equally real if we won about
true and equally real if we won about
true and equally real if we won about our daily interactions the intention of
our daily interactions the intention of
our daily interactions the intention of keeping an open mind to all ideas
keeping an open mind to all ideas
keeping an open mind to all ideas opinions the viewpoints that’s I believe
opinions the viewpoints that’s I believe
opinions the viewpoints that’s I believe we have the potential to better our
we have the potential to better our
we have the potential to better our communities and better our society how
communities and better our society how
communities and better our society how much less conflict about there be if we
much less conflict about there be if we
much less conflict about there be if we allow others to live in their truth by
allow others to live in their truth by
allow others to live in their truth by omitting that the human experience
omitting that the human experience
omitting that the human experience has the potential to range far beyond
has the potential to range far beyond
has the potential to range far beyond what we understand or perceive we have
what we understand or perceive we have
what we understand or perceive we have waded into a world that is alive with
waded into a world that is alive with
waded into a world that is alive with color if you can accept my experiences
color if you can accept my experiences
color if you can accept my experiences with synesthesia this ones that are true
with synesthesia this ones that are true
with synesthesia this ones that are true and valid regardless of never
and valid regardless of never
and valid regardless of never experiencing them yourself
experiencing them yourself
experiencing them yourself or possibly not even understanding them
or possibly not even understanding them
or possibly not even understanding them then surely you can learn to accept
then surely you can learn to accept
then surely you can learn to accept ideas and opinions and a few points of
ideas and opinions and a few points of
ideas and opinions and a few points of everybody regardless of whether or not
everybody regardless of whether or not
everybody regardless of whether or not you agree with them when it makes sense
you agree with them when it makes sense
you agree with them when it makes sense to move forward away from the darkness
to move forward away from the darkness
to move forward away from the darkness of non acceptance and how fitting would
of non acceptance and how fitting would
of non acceptance and how fitting would it be if moving forward we began the
it be if moving forward we began the
it be if moving forward we began the acceptance of a condition as colorful
acceptance of a condition as colorful
acceptance of a condition as colorful and as unique as synesthesia
and as unique as synesthesia
and as unique as synesthesia [Applause]
”
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